Consistency in infants' behavioural signalling of satiation during bottle-feeding
A K Ventura1, L B Inamdar, J A Mennella
1Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Nutrition Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Insights
Infant feeding behaviors are consistent, even when satiation occurs with different volumes of cow milk formula (CMF) or CMF with added glutamate (CMF+glu). Maternal feeding style influences infant consistency and overfeeding signs.
Area of Science:
- Infant feeding behavior
- Nutritional science
- Maternal-infant interaction
Background:
- Understanding infant feeding dynamics is crucial for preventing obesity risk factors like accelerated weight gain.
- Infants satiate on larger volumes of standard cow milk formula (CMF) compared to CMF enriched with glutamate (CMF+glu).
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if infants exhibit consistent feeding behaviors despite satiating on different volumes of CMF and CMF+glu.
- To investigate the influence of formula composition on infant satiation and behavioral consistency.
Main Methods:
- A within-subject experimental study involving 41 infants (≤4 months old) and their mothers.
- Infants were videotaped feeding to satiation on CMF and CMF+glu on separate days, in counterbalanced order.
- Video recordings were analyzed frame-by-frame for the frequency and timing of infant feeding behaviors.
Main Results:
- Infant behaviors were consistent in type and frequency across both formula conditions, but occurred sooner with CMF+glu.
- Less responsive maternal feeding styles were associated with less consistent infant behaviors.
- Infants who spat up consumed more formula and had less responsive mothers.
Conclusions:
- Infants demonstrate consistent behavioral displays during bottle-feeding at this developmental stage.
- Formula composition and maternal feeding style significantly influence infant intake regulation and satiation signaling.
Background:
Understanding the dynamics of feeding is essential for preventing accelerated weight gain during infancy, a risk factor for obesity.
Objectives:
Because infants satiate on larger volumes of cow milk formula (CMF) than CMF enriched with the free amino acid glutamate (CMF + glu), we used this model system to determine whether infants displayed consistent behaviours despite satiating on lower volumes.
Methods:
In this laboratory-based, within-subject experimental study of ≤4-month-old infants (n = 41) and their mothers, infants were videotaped while feeding to satiation CMF on one test day and CMF + glu on the other, in counterbalanced order. Each video-recording was analysed frame-by-frame for frequency and timing of behaviours.
Results:
Infants' behaviours were consistent in types and frequency but were displayed sooner when feeding CMF + glu compared with CMF. The less responsive the mother's feeding style, the less consistent the infant displayed behaviours across the two formula meals (P = 0.05). Infants who spat up (a possible sign of overfeeding) consumed more formula (P = 0.01) and had less responsive mothers (P = 0.04) compared with the other infants.
Conclusions:
Infants are consistent in their behavioural displays during feeding at this developmental age. Regulation of intake and signalling of satiation during bottle-feeding are associated with formula composition and maternal feeding style.
